Working on a radio program that explores the turbulent history of Sydney's Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, was a no-brainer for Dr Scott McKinnon.
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The fact that program has been shortlisted for a Digital History prize in the NSW Premier's History Award, is an added bonus for the University of Wollongong researcher.
Dr McKinnon was one of the co-producers behind the two-part series, The Making of Mardi Gras and Mardi Gras Supernova, which was created for The History Listen on ABC's Radio National.
Award-winning historian and media producer Catherine Freyne invited Dr McKinnon to work on the project alongside ABC sound engineer Mark Don.
Dr McKinnon, who is based in the Australian Centre for Culture, Environment, Society and Space, is a geographer and historian who has researched the history of sexuality and of the LGBTIQ community.
He said the radio documentary format was a great way to create engaging and entertaining histories.
This is particularly important for LGBTIQ history, which isn't generally taught in schools.
- University of Wollongong researcher Dr Scott McKinnon
"One of the most exciting aspects of this project to me was that we could tell some stories that haven't been explored elsewhere, and we could do it in a way that would be accessible to a wide audience," he said.
"This is particularly important for LGBTIQ history, which isn't generally taught in schools. Unless you study history at university, which most people don't, there is very little opportunity for LGBTIQ people to learn about the history of their community.
"Projects like this are really important, and I'm grateful to Radio National for their interest and support."
The Making of Mardi Gras and Mardi Gras Supernova focused on the lesser-known, yet pivotal, moments in the event's history.
"There were a lot of events happening for the 40th anniversary last year," Dr McKinnon said.
"We came up with the idea of doing two episodes. One would be on Mardi Gras 1979 to 1981, which would explore the decision to hold a second Mardi Gras in 1979 and then the decision to move Mardi Gras summer in 1981 (the 1978 Mardi Gras was held on a very cold night in June).
"The second episode, Mardi Gras Supernova, is about the years in the 2000s when Mardi Gras nearly collapsed and the decision by a small group of people to keep it going.
"Across the two episodes, the aim was to mark the 40th anniversary by asking how it became an annual event and how it managed to survive this long."
The winners of the NSW Premier's History Award will be announced on Friday, August 30, ahead of the state's annual History Week.
You can listen to The Making of Mardi Gras and Mardi Gras Supernova at The History Listen.